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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. tear — to rip
  4. charge — electricity
  5. drill — army training
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. tear — from crying
  8. toast — bread
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. can — a tin
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. charge — a price
  13. content — the amount
  14. tear — from crying
  15. wind — moving air
  16. can — a tin
  17. drill — a practice
  18. wind — moving air
  19. charge — in control
  20. can — to be able to
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. drill — the tool
  24. content — happy

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com